Endocrinology & Metabolic Syndrome
Open Access

Abstract

Resistin and Cancer Risk: A Mini-Review

Zhuang Feng and Hanrui Zhang

Obesity and cancer are two major epidemics of this century. Obesity is associated with greater risk of many types of cancer. However, the biological mechanism of the increased cancer risk among obese population is not fully understood. Studies on the role of adipose-derived factors in cancer development may provide insights into the mechanistic link between obesity and cancer risks. Resistin is an important hormone protein that is mainly produced by adipose tissue, and has been found to be actively involved in the regulation of inflammation and insulin resistance. This mini-review aimed to summarize findings from both experimental and epidemiological studies investigating the association between resistin levels and cancer risk and identify areas requiring further research.